The Broken Throne
by Spunky0ne
Summary: When Byakuya suddenly disappears, Renji, Tetsuya and Ichigo attempt to find him. But what they discover along the way is an ancient secret that someone is willing to kill to protect...yaoi, mpreg...Aizen/Byakuya, Ichigo/Renji, Grimmjow/Tetsuya
1. Secrets

**The Broken Throne**

**By Spunky0ne**

**XXXXXXXXXX**

_**When Byakuya suddenly disappears, Renji, Tetsuya and Ichigo attempt to find him. But what they discover along the way is an ancient secret that someone is willing to kill to protect. Main pairings Aizen/Byakuya and Ichigo/Renji with a feisty side of Grimmjow/Tetsuya...Yaoi, mpreg**_

**XXXXXXXXXX**

**Chapter 1: Secrets**

Renji felt a flicker of agitation in his captain's usually calm reiatsu and glanced up from where he worked on a stack of reports guaranteed to keep him planted where he was through half the night.

_It's funny,_ he thought, _how much things haven't changed, even while everything around us has become so different._

He still hadn't gotten used to the newly rebuilt sixth division headquarters. More modernly styled and equipped with the latest technology, it stood in contrast to the simpler design of their former quarters. Where before, the front office had contained standard desks and chairs, upon the new captain commander's order for captains to outline requests for their new facilities, Byakuya had, not only had noble designers prepare the plans based on his likings, he saved the ailing post-war Gotei 13 money by bankrolling the renovation himself and placing responsibility for the work on the shoulders of the very artisans who had made Kuchiki Manor officially one of the most beautiful estates in Soul Society.

Renji couldn't complain at all about the warm, earthy tones, the fine materials and especially, the sinfully comfortable chair he got to use that put his old chair to shame. And even less could he complain at having a computer and no longer having to hear his lovely captain tease him constantly about his lacking penmanship. Reports went faster, having templates and him only needing to print and sign each copy. And even better than that, when he finally finished his work, he no longer even felt tempted to go back to his great, but only normal looking apartment. Byakuya had spared no expense in the plans for the officers' quarters. The captain's quarters, of course, were nearly as lovely and comfortable as his rooms in Kuchiki Manor, and the vice captain's chambers were the most beautiful Renji had ever lived in.

It was hard to conceive of himself as ever having walked the streets of Inuzuri, hungry and cold, as he filled his stomach with hot delicious food every night and sank down into his bubbling hot tub to relax and unwind before rinsing off in the huge, many headed shower, then collapsing into his wickedly soft and comfortable bed and not moving again until morning. And sometimes, to Renji's delight, Byakuya would invite him to share dinner and a soak in the captain's quarters. They never seemed to run out of things to talk about, and Renji couldn't think of much that was more pleasant than spending quality time with the man most responsible for his development as a fighter and a Gotei officer. He had grown extremely sensitive to the nuances of the Kuchiki leader's behavior, which was why he knew instantly that something was amiss with his superior officer and needed to be addressed.

But as he silently observed Byakuya, he noted that everything on the outside seemed perfectly normal. Byakuya sat with his usual, graceful posture, his dark eyes deeply calm as he typed in his portion of the information on their latest mission, then signed and sent the completed item on to the first division. It was just that persistent flicker, that edge of discomfort in the energies around the man that only someone close to him would notice. Byakuya rarely exuded more than a small percentage of what he truly thought or felt, but luckily for him, his vice captain and best friend had grown into an expert at reading him.

"Hey uh, Captain?" the redhead inquired, "is...everything okay?"

Byakuya blinked slowly, rising up out of the businesslike trance he went into while working, then he met Renji's eyes curiously, making his subordinate think for a moment that he had only been imagining things.

"You wouldn't be asking me that if you hadn't already sensed something was amiss," the noble commented quietly.

"Then, something _is_ wrong?" Renji asked.

Byakuya sighed.

"I am not sure," he confessed, something of a rare thing, but one that was becoming more common as the bond between them strengthened, "But it relates to clan matters and would be taxing to explain. Perhaps the way to diffuse things and to put me in a better state to work tomorrow would be to spend a bit of time relaxing in my quarters before bedtime. Would you like to join me?"

"Sure thing, Captain," Renji answered, nodding.

The two shut down their computers and rose, preparing to adjourn to the captain's quarters, but paused and stared in surprise as the door to the division was thrown open and a flustered looking Ichigo burst into the room.

"Hey, Byakuya, I need to..."

He slid to a stop, suddenly realizing he had caught the two unprepared.

"Oh, sorry guys," he apologized, "Was I interrupting something?"

Byakuya gave him the ghost of an amused smile.

"Aren't you always, Kurosaki Ichigo?"

Ichigo couldn't help smiling in return at the way that, even though everyone else seemed to have forgotten the surname he had grown up with, Byakuya, though himself a clan leader and raised to be very proper, respected his desire to continue being called after his late mother's family.

"What is it that you need?"

"Well, look, I uh...I need to know, how in the hell did you get your elders off your back about who the hell you married? I've told these guys flat out that I don't want to get married right now and that when I do, I want to choose my own wife. But they keep putting the issue on the agenda and talking it to death until I want to scream at them to shut up about it! You're a clan leader, and you convinced your own council to let you marry a commoner, right? How do I get these jerks...erm..._elders_ to leave me the hell alone about it?"

"Ah," the Kuchiki heir sighed, somewhat sympathetically, "I am afraid that you aren't going to be able to get them to stop putting pressure on you about it, as long as you are single and not involved with anyone. Our elders annoyed me about marrying while I was your age, and my answer was a bit rash."

Ichigo gave an amused chuckle.

"You mean, you ran off and married a commoner?" he laughed.

"I did not actually go to Inuzuri with the intent of surprising them with that particular decision, but I would suggest that if you did something that convinced them that toning down their rhetoric was the better option, perhaps they would stop being so insistent."

"Like how?" the young man inquired, "What do you mean, convince them?"

Byakuya sat back down in his chair and exchanged a glance with Renji that instantly had the redhead crossing the room to prepare tea for the three of them. Several minutes later, the trio adjourned into Byakuya's stately quarters, undressed and sank down into his hot tub, before going back to a discussion of Ichigo's problem.

"If you want to convince the Shiba elders that it is better to say nothing about marriage, you need to show interest, perhaps, in someone that would make them rethink the idea of getting you married off quickly."

"You mean, like dating someone that they don't approve of?" the Shiba heir asked.

"Exactly."

"But the thing is, I don't really feel attracted to anybody!" Ichigo objected, "And I don't want to lie. I wouldn't lead anyone on that way. I mean I know that Orihime and R...w-well, _Orihime_," he quickly corrected himself, "has been interested in me for a while, but I don't know. I just don't feel attracted in that way to her. I don't feel attracted that way to _anyone_. And I don't want to pretend I am."

"I wasn't suggesting you needed to lie exactly. There is a fine line between strategic suggestion and actual lying."

"Meaning?"

"You don't actually have to say that you are interested in anyone," Byakuya explained, "It could be as simple as increasing the time spent with a particular friend, appearing in public with her...while remaining completely discreet about any intentions. I know you are not a creature of subtlety, but you must pick up that skill if you are to manage the elders of your clan."

"That doesn't sound too hard," Ichigo said, frowning, "but I don't know who to choose. I mean, who would they not like? Rukia wasn't born noble, but she's been made a part of the family and is captain level and a vice captain now."

"Rukia would not be a good choice," Byakuya said shortly, making Ichigo flinch slightly, "As you pointed out, she is too much accepted now to bring the proper effect. There is the chance that they would be accepting, and then you might find yourself closer to marriage, not farther from it."

"That wouldn't be good," Renji chuckled.

"I don't want to tease Orihime, because she's a good friend and I know she still has a crush on me."

"I agree that would present problems," Byakuya replied, "Also, your friend, Orihime, received a royal commendation in the war. She too, would probably be too acceptable to your elders."

"So, you're saying that the choice would have to shock them a little," Ichigo posited, "It should be someone they're not expecting...someone who kinda stands out and doesn't fit the role of little miss clan wife, right?"

"Yes."

"Huh," Ichigo mused, shaking his head, "I'm sure as hell not bringing Uryu into this. He's trying to keep a low profile after everything."

"I agree that would be going too far, and besides, the fact that your mother was originally supposed to marry his father would be a little disconcerting to some," Byakuya surmised.

"Someone not noble...a little shocking, but not so off the wall they'd flip completely..."

"Someone they would possibly want to discourage you from dating, but they wouldn't want to say too much for fear of putting the thought of marriage in your head. And once you decide on someone, you need to be seen a lot in public together, on social occasions. Bring the person to some of your clan fucntions, but not the major ones. To those, go unescorted and politely dance with everyone, but favor no one at those occasions. You will have your elders on edge and afraid to broach the subject of marriage. It won't put them off forever, but it could bring you some peace for now."

"Well, some peace is better than the bullshit I'm taking now!" Ichigo complained, "I don't know what's wrong with those guys. They really can't take a hint."

"And your hints are not quite subtle," Byakuya added, smiling slightly.

"Hey!"

"He's telling the truth, buddy," Renji said, laughing softly.

"What the hell do _you_ know?" Ichigo said, swatting at him playfully.

The two splashed water at each other, forgetting, for a moment, the quietly amused noble who sat across from them, saying nothing and taking sips of his tea. Byakuya's eyes blinked slowly, and a thought occurred to him.

"Renji," he said calmly.

The two young men paused and looked back at him.

"Eh, sorry Captain. I just got carried away. It won't happen again."

"No, I meant, Ichigo, you should hint at interest in Renji."

"What?" the ginger-haired Shiba objected, his eyes widening, "Hey, I understand wanting to shock them, but that's just...Renji? Renji, really?"

"Hey!" the redhead snapped, "What's wrong with me? I'm not exactly ugly or anything. I know I look a little weird and I don't have great manners, but I...!"

"Renji is bold and striking," Byakuya explained, "He is not female, not submissive, not noble, and he does not have incentive to follow clan rules. He is a friend, so you spend time together anyway, and while being a shocking choice, he is somewhat redeemed by his commanding reiatsu, his position as a vice captain and his performance in the war. He will have your elders very conflicted and unable to agree on any particular action to take."

"Okay, I get what you're saying, but...Renji?" Ichigo lamented.

"You make me sound like some kind of stinky dead fish!" the redhead said heatedly, "I'm not that bad! I get more dates than you do, asshole!"

"Ah...the suggestion of promiscuity," Byakuya said approvingly, "That is also helpful"

"I'm not promiscuous!" Renji yelled, "I don't sleep with anyone. I just go out with a lot of people. I like to dance and have fun. I don't care about romantic crap!"

"That also makes you a good choice," Byakuya suggested, "as Ichigo's intentions might fluster someone who had amorous intentions. You are friends, so you can enjoy time in public and through subtle cues, you can suggest to the ones around you that you are intimate."

"But I'm not subtle!"

"You can say that again," Renji chortled.

"Shut up!" Ichigo roared.

"You have the proper amount of tension between you, something that could believably erupt into sexual tension, given the right nudge," the Kuchiki leader went on blithely.

"The right nudge?" Ichigo repeated curiously.

Byakuya nodded briefly, then moved so he sat next to Renji. He leaned towards the redhead, placing a hand on his arm and breathing a few words into his vice captain's ear. Renji blushed instantly, making Ichigo laugh delightedly.

"Whoa! What was that? What did you say? He looks really flustered now!"

Byakuya gave him an innocent look.

"I only asked if he could hand me a packet of sweetener for my tea," he assured the Shiba heir, "but the subtle things, my hand on his arm, my closeness to him, giving him my eyes as I did, speaking into his ear...all of those things are tantalizing hints of something that could be beneath the surface."

"Well, I'll tell you what's beneath the surface of this water," Ichigo snickered, "Renji's hard on!"

"Will you knock it off and grow up a little?" Renji said, smacking him on the head.

"Ow! Sorry, geez. You're kinda pissy today."

"You have good chemistry," Byakuya observed, "I am sure that, given a little guidance, you can use this to..."

"To scare the pants of the Shiba elders!" Ichigo giggled, "So, what do you say, Renji? You want to fake date me?"

"No way!" the redhead snapped, "I wouldn't really date you and I wouldn't fake date you if you were the last noble heir in the three worlds! Go find yourself another beastly boy to scare them with!"

"But I don't know anyone else who I like enough to spend all that time with. Come on. You said we were friends and if I ever needed anything..."

"Well, fake dating you wasn't what I had in mind when I made the offer!"

"You nearly have me convinced you are a couple, and I know the truth," Byakuya said, making the two freeze and blush, "Renji, you are a person who goes the extra mile for your friends. You have been a friend to Rukia, Tetsuya and me, and you have been Ichigo's friend. You don't want to see him unhappily married off, do you?"

"Well, no sir, but...?"

"Then, it seems that you should offer Ichigo your assistance, as he does not seem to have any viable alternatives."

"Ah..."

"I hate to say it, but he's right that I don't have any other good options," Ichigo confessed, his joviality fading, "I really don't want to have to get married. All joking aside, you're one of the few people I trust for something like this. Will you help me out, Renji?"

Renji looked from his captain's solemn gaze to Ichigo's worried one, then sighed heavily.

"Fine, whatever," he capitulated, "But under no circumstances whatsoever am I going to kiss you. You got that?"

"Yeah," the Shiba heir said, relief overtaking his features, "Sure thing. Thanks, Renji. You're really saving my ass, here."

"Just remember to keep your hands off of mine!" the redhead snapped, giving his friend a withering glare.

XXXXXXXXXX

Sousuke Aizen rested quietly in his bonds, his emotions mixed as he reflected on his imminent release.

_Sousuke Aizen, while your activity in the war is labeled 'classified' and cannot be publicly revealed, the Soul King has ordered that you are to be fully pardoned, and that you will be released as soon as the public can be assured that you are not a threat to their safety. It will take a few weeks and careful maneuvering, but we will honor the king's wishes and set you free soon._

_"I should hope so," Aizen said smoothly, "Without me yielding the hogyoku to help stop Ywach, he would have killed all of you. And having given it up, I have, once again, become vulnerable to death. Had I wanted it, I could have let the king be killed."_

_"Only to face an even stronger foe!" the Central 46 head councilor rebuked him, "We know exactly why you chose to support the king, and while we must obey his will, we are taking steps to make sure that you do not pose a threat any longer. Therefore, we are going to place seals on all but your core spirit center, which you need to survive, and we will be having you mind-wiped to ensure that you harbor no illicit plans to renew your plans against the king!"_

_"What?"_

"Bastards!" he whispered, his lips tightening, "How dare they..."

He knew well enough that the king would not approve of the action, but that Reio would not interfere in their decision.

_And they wonder why I wanted him to die. Unfortunately, I understand why he can't involve himself. He is vulnerable when he extends his reach too much outside the royal realm. If I still had the hogyoku or the means to remake it...but that is gone now._

Instead, he waited quietly, longing for a moment that would allow him to break free.

_I am not about to give up my powers and identity to suit them! There is a way out of this. I will find it..._

His thoughts broke off as the door to his cell clanked open and a robed figure entered his cell.

"Who are you?" he queried curiously, noticing suddenly an odd crest at the man's wrist, and deep, haunting silver eyes that studied him contemplatively.

"Who I am is not important," the man said in a low, compelling voice, "It is who you are that concerns me. That is why I have come, Sousuke Aizen."

"Would you care to explain what that means?" Aizen asked, "Because I know you are not an official of the Central 46 council. Do they know you are here?"

"It doesn't matter," the man persisted, "All that matters, and that you need to know is that your life is going to end. I have come to see to that personally, Sousuke Aizen!"

Aizen's uncovered eye widened and he called for the guard outside the door, then gave an infuriated snarl as he realized the man could not hear him.

"What are you doing? Get away from me!" he roared as the hooded man closed in on him.

He flinched as a needle penetrated the skin of his arm, then the other man moved closer and Aizen felt himself falling into the depths of his frightening silver eyes.

"How does it feel to be on the receiving end of such cruelty?" the man taunted him, "How does it feel to lose _everything_, Sousuke Aizen?"


	2. Undercurrents

**Chapter 2: Undercurrents**

"He'll need another dose soon. He's starting to become aware," a garbled female voice said calmly.

"That's fast. There are limits to what even this bastard can tolerate," a male voice responded.

The man strapped to the examination table sensed it was dangerous to move under the thick leather straps, so he forced one heavy lidded eye into cracking open only slightly to observe them, and took in the distorted image of the man who leaned over him, stark, pointed features, narrowed brown eyes and unsmiling thin lips. He was sure he had never seen the man before.

"I'm sealing the fourth now."

He could barely hold himself silent at the fierce burning that the other man's manipulations were causing in his midsection.

"I don't understand why we're bothering to do this at all," the woman complained, "Why not just kill him right away?"

"You heard the boss," the man said shortly, "It's complicated. He wasn't happy we were forced into doing this now, but Byakuya is becoming suspicious and there is information we need before we end this. Just increase the dosage, but monitor his vital signs carefully. The boss was very clear about not wanting him to die yet."

"He may be the only one who doesn't want the guy dead," sighed the woman, picking up the man's limp arm and touching several buttons on the machine handling the distribution of his medications.

Cool fluid leaked into the restrained man's veins and he felt his consciousness leaving him again.

"Not that he remembers what he did to earn everyone's hatred," the woman added, "Almost makes me feel a little sorry for him..."

"Almost," the man agreed.

The man on the table strained his hazy mind, trying to understand, but the only things that seemed familiar were the name of the person one of them had mentioned and a pair of silver eyes that had promised to end his life. Sweat broke out on his forehead and he heard one of the machines beside him complain loudly.

"Damn," the woman swore, shaking her head and sending the scent of flowers across his senses, "Stubborn, aren't you?"

The aroma caused a jolt inside and a flash image of a lovely man with expensive decorations in the back of his shoulder length, black hair, who looked at him through dark, steely eyes and wore a solemn frown on his comely face.

He remembered the name the man working on him had mentioned.

_Byakuya..._

_The man I remember is Byakuya._

_But who are these people? Where is this place? What are they doing to me?_

He tried to focus on the room in the background, but the light over him seemed too painfully blinding. His consciousness began to fade as more medication seeped into his veins.

_I don't want to sleep._

_I must not sleep._

_I must not..._

XXXXXXXXXX

"This is the stupidest thing I've ever done," Renji complained irritably, scowling at his reflection in the full length mirror in front of him as he dressed, "Like the Shiba elders would be caught dead near a dance club anyway. This is just crazy."

He sighed heavily and sat down on his bed, gripping the thick, soft covers at the edge and gazing down at the dark carpeted floor. He missed the light tapping on his door and almost didn't see it open to admit his captain, who was dressed in a lovely dark blue sleeping yukata and carrying a handsome coat that immediately caught the redhead's eye. Cut for a tall person and dark tan with hunter green detail, he couldn't help but stare as Byakuya approached with it.

"Hey, Captain," he greeted the noble, a flicker of relief going through him at being momentarily distracted from his fake date preparations, "That's a really beautiful coat. Did you have that made for Tetsuya's birthday?"

Byakuya shook his head gently and motioned for Renji to stand.

"I had it made for you."

"F-for me?" Renji asked, blinking, "But my birthday's not for a couple of months. Why...? You mean, you did this for my fake date with Ichigo? How'd they make it so fast?"

"I originally had it designed upon our return after the war. I meant it to be a token of my appreciation for your loyalty and protection, but the materials and workmanship required more time, so it was only completed today. Still, I knew that you were meeting Ichigo and I thought it would give you a bit of confidence...something to take your mind off of your uncertainty. I know this situation is making you uncomfortable, but you are doing Ichigo a great service by assisting him and you are doing me a service by keeping him from dating my sister."

"Oh, right!" Renji chuckled, finding his abandoned smile, "Come on, you know that even though Rukia more than likes him, Ichigo thinks of her like a sister."

"Which is how I prefer things to stay," Byakuya said dryly.

"Are you really worried that they would fall in love, Captain?" Renji mused, "But you aren't worried about him falling in love with me."

"You are not my sister," Byakuya said, smirking slightly.

"Thanks a lot," Renji laughed, reaching up to scratch the back of his neck, "But seriously, do you really think we can pull this off? I mean, Ichigo's great to fight with, whether we're fighting hollows or pounding on each other, but it's gonna be weird being friendly with him _like that_."

"That is understandable. But remember that it is just an act...like when we performed in the Shinigami Women's Association Theatrical."

"Please," Renji groaned, closing his eyes against the stinging memory, "don't remind me of that! I've barely gotten the blush off my skin, and I'm not talking about the makeup they slathered all over me either!"

"But you performed your role flawlessly," Byakuya reminded him.

"Because I did it with you," Renji said without thinking.

Then, he flushed brightly.

"I...I mean we..."

"I know what you mean," Byakuya assured his flustered subordinate, "Renji, just think of this the way you think of me sending you on any mission of importance. Focus on Ichigo and forget everything else. Relax and have fun. He is not a stranger, but a close friend. All you are doing is adding a layer of mystique to your outward presence."

Renji turned back to face the mirror as the noble slipped the coat around his shoulders. The redhead slid his arms into the sleeves and stood, admiring the tan and green creation appreciatively.

"I don't know what to say, Captain," he mused, "This is the nicest piece of clothing I've ever owned. It's amazing how different it looks and feels wearing something that was made for me."

"Keep it with you at all times," the noble instructed him.

Renji felt an odd twinge inside at the words. He turned his head to meet Byakuya's eyes directly.

"Captain," he said, feeling a deeper, worried twinge, "This is going to sound weird, but...are you okay? You're acting kind of...different."

Byakuya let out a soft breath and shook his head briefly.

"Things _are _different between us since what happened in the war with the quincies. But I assure you these changes are a good thing. I know now that...I can trust you completely...with anything. This gift is an acknowledgement of how far we have come and the trust that has been built between us. Take good care not to lose it, Renji."

For some reason Renji couldn't fathom, the words rang strangely in his ears.

"Are you kidding," he answered, covering his concerns with a charming smile, "Thanks, Captain. I won't let this out of my sight!"

"Good," Byakuya said approvingly, "Now go. You don't want to keep your fake date waiting."

"Right!" Renji chuckled, relief flooding in as the feelings of warning faded.

He turned and strode out of the room, leaving Byakuya looking thoughtfully into the mirror. He considered the looking glass carefully for a moment, then paused to think, before taking a fingertip and inscribing a short message with kido on the glass. His heart quickened as he reread the words and swallowed hard at having to take such actions.

_But what can I do? I couldn't leave it in the archive, because if any of the ones following me are trusted by the royal family, then..._

He took another steadying breath and turned away from the mirror, his step measured and his eyes reflective as he left Renji's quarters and re-entered his own. Upon his first soft step into the room, he knew he wasn't alone and by the second, he was falling.

_It is as I feared._

_To take down an experienced captain instantly, these people are..._

XXXXXXXXXX

Ichigo approached the Blue Room nightclub and paused a few steps short to gaze up at the neon sign made in varying shades of its named hue, and rethinking his decision to go through with meeting Renji there for what he was sure was the hundredth time.

_It seemed like a good idea the way Byakuya put it, but now I'm not so sure. Still, what are my choices if I don't want those jerks telling me what to do with my love life. It's embarrassing, but not as embarrassing as sharing a bed and the rest of my life with someone I didn't choose._

His eye traveled over the dark embellished wood that composed the front of the building and the door that led inside. Then he forced himself to take a step.

_Can't help it._

_Have to do this._

_And it's not so bad. Renji's a good friend. He looks great dressed up to go out dancing and while he's on his ass a lot of the time when he fights, he's fun to watch when he's dancing. He moves well._

"Hey Lord Shiba!" Shuuhei Hisagi's voice called out from behind him, "Coming down off your throne to go dancing with us peasants?"

"Eh, shut up," Ichigo said, smiling at the man's humor, "I told you not to call me that. I'm meeting Renji here to hang out for a while. Have you seen him?"

"Not yet, but I haven't been inside. Come on, I'll help you look for him. It'll be crowded, being a Saturday."

He pulled the door open and a wave of mingled scents and roaring sound washed over them. They entered the club and stopped just inside to remove their coats and hand them to the attendants at the door. Then, they waded through a throng of happily entranced couples so entrenched in the music, they barely noticed the men as they passed by. Hisagi pulled the Shiba heir down at an empty table.

"Whew! Wasn't sure we'd get one tonight," he sighed, "It's really mobbed!"

"Did you see Renji anywhere?" Ichigo asked, raising his voice to be heard over the throbs of melodic sound.

"Not yet. But look at that!"

Ichigo followed the other man's pointing finger to where two young men were dancing together. He recognized Tetsuya immediately, dressed as always in varying shades of blue, with the like colored lights reflecting in his sapphire eyes almost eerily. The person he danced with looked less familiar.

"That's Tetsuya Kuchiki, right?" Ichigo queried, "Who's with him?"

Hisagi chuckled.

"That's Rikichi from squad six. He's left off his crush on Renji for a new one, it looks like."

"He likes Tetsuya?" Ichigo asked, grinning, "They're kind of cute together."

"Yeah, that's not the problem, though."

"Oh? What's the problem?"

Hisagi's grin widened.

"They're both bottoms, stupid! Who's going to top?" he laughed.

"Hey, don't say things like that!" Ichigo objected, smacking the other man in the head, "Tetsuya's a nice guy and he dances better than you do."

"I'll bet he does..."

"Hey!"

He started to say more, but was interrupted as a hand reached out from between the dancers and dragged Hisagi away from the table to dance. Ichigo sighed as his friend disappeared into the throng of dancers, and his eyes went back to watching Tetsuya and Rikichi where they held themselves slightly apart from the crowd in a tight corner, dancing close and wearing cute, shy smiles.

_Damn, I should have fake dated him. He's cute...really cute._

"Hey," Renji's voice called out as the redhead dropped into the seat next to him, "I thought you were fake dating me, stupid, not leering at my captain's cousin!"

"Don't just say it out loud like that!" Ichigo reprimanded the redhead, "Everyone will..."

He paused, blinking in surprise as the mingled scents of fine leather and Renji's pleasant, masculine scent drifted across his senses.

"So, are you going to just sit there all night staring at him or do you want to dance?"

"Oh, sorry," Ichigo said, blushing as Renji's hand slid into his and the two stood.

They wove their way through the crowd, taking up a position in the less crowded corner Tetsuya and Rikichi were occupying. The two smiled in greeting, then returned their focus to each other and continued to move with the music.

"Are those two seeing each other?" Ichigo asked, leaning forward and placing a hand on Renji's arm as Byakuya had done.

"Whoa!" What are you doing?" Renji asked, in a startled tone.

"I'm doing what Byakuya said to do...you know!"

"Oh...oh right, sorry," Renji said awkwardly, "And no, Tetsuya doesn't date anyone. They're just friends. They like to dance. Why? You looking for another fake date already? I'm not enough for you? Damn, you're fickle, Ichigo!"

"Would you stop saying things like that?" Ichigo snapped, "We're not supposed to give that part away to everyone. They're supposed to think we're really dating."

"I'm not the one making a scene," Renji answered, scowling as he turned the Shiba heir into a spin, then recaptured him, "You're the one yelling at _me_."

"Just be quiet and try to look like you like me!"

He almost regretted his words as Renji pulled him closer and the front of their bodies came into contact. Ichigo's head swam for a moment as Renji's scent surround him and the redhead's warmth seemed to spread all of the way through him. It was surprisingly easy to make his body move with Renji's In fact, it seemed to move on its own. His eyes rose to meet the redhead's and Renji charming smile almost melted him.

_I was wrong. Renji's a great date...erm...fake date._

_Yeah..._

_This is fun._

"You look more relaxed now. That's good," Renji commented, his breath tickling the Shiba heir's ear and making him blush instantly.

"You're a good dancer," Ichigo said, looking into Renji's eyes with sincerity, "Thanks for meeting me tonight."

"It's no problem. You're a pretty good dancer yourself."

A short distance away, Tetsuya and Rikichi parted and returned to their table, where they exchanged a few words, then parted company. The noble slipped nimbly through the other dancers, headed towards the door, but stopped short as a heavyset, very drunk shinigami stumbled into him. Tetsuya stepped back, then took a startled breath as the man grabbed him roughly and pressed up against him.

"Let go!" the noble demanded, frowning and trying to pull away.

"Hey, where're you goin' beautiful?" the drunk man complained, taking hold of Tetsuya's shirt.

A blue haired hollow appeared suddenly out of the crowd and honed in on the inebriated offender.

"Yo, asshole! Get your hands off...!" he began.

The hollow froze and stared in surprise as Tetsuya moved and landed three quick strikes that put the bigger man on the floor at his feet.

"O-kay?" the hollow chuckled as two club workers dragged the man away, "I guess you don't need any help."

"Thank you for your offer of assistance anyway," Tetsuya said, his heart flickering oddly as he observed the tall, blue-haired hollow.

"Grimmjow," the hollow said, extending a hand.

"I know who you are," Tetsuya replied warily.

Grimmjow gave him a toothy grin.

"Hey, I'm not going to eat you. I promise. You're safer with me than you are with that beast that just tried to grab you."

"I wasn't worried about my safety," Tetsuya assured him, "It's just that...you injured my cousin, Rukia, before."

"That was before. I don't have anything against her now. But I understand if you want to hold a grudge. I probably would too."

"Tetsuya, is that guy bugging you?" Ichigo asked, stepping in between the two.

"Well, look who it is," Grimmjow laughed, "My favorite punching bag. Don't you owe me a fight, asshole?"

"This isn't the place," Renji said sternly, appearing at Ichigo's shoulder, "What are you doing bugging my captain's cousin?"

"Bugging him? I'm not bugging him."

"Grimmjow stepped in to assist me when a drunk person was less than gentlemanly with me," Tetsuya explained.

"Well, I wouldn't call it assisting..." Grimmjow began.

"I was just startled by him," Tetsuya said, cutting him off, "I have...never met an Espada."

Grimmjow gave him a pleased look.

"If you want to look a little closer, you can dance with me for a while," he offered slyly.

"I don't think so," Ichigo said, glaring at the Espada.

"Ease up, Ichigo. The war's over," Grimmjow said off-handedly, "I was just being friendly."

"Well, be _friendly _with someone else," the Shiba heir said shortly.

"Whatever!" Grimmjow sighed, turning and disappearing into the crowd.

"You didn't need to do that," Tetsuya chided his friend.

"You don't know that guy," Ichigo argued.

"Baka," Renji said impatiently, "He's Captain's bodyguard and head of Kuchiki house security. The guy knows anyone who's ever been within a foot of Captain Kuchiki or Rukia!"

"R-right," Ichigo said, smiling ruefully, "Sorry, Tetsuya. I was just trying to..."

"I understand. Thank you. But I must be on my way. I'm meeting Byakuya at the sixth division."

"I'll walk back with you," Renji offered.

"But, what about our date?" Ichigo objected.

Renji leaned in close, nuzzling his cheek lightly and exciting a sweet flush onto his face and throat as he answered.

"Next time you want to fake date me, you might want to look a little more like you're interested in me and not playing hero to a very cute guy who totally doesn't need your help. It'll be more convincing."

"Sorry, Renji," Ichigo apologized.

"It's fine," the redhead assured him, "I'll see you later, okay?"

Ichigo watched as the two retrieved their coats and disappeared out the door.

_Renji's right. That was stupid. Instead of getting the elders off my back, I'll have them making a deal for me to marry poor Tetsuya who doesn't even want to date anyone. That'd be a great marriage._

_Although he is kind of adorable..._

"Well, that was a great fake date," the Shiba heir sighed, "Fuck, how am I going to get out of this?"

XXXXXXXXXX

"You really didn't need to leave your date to walk me back," Tetsuya said quietly.

"It's okay. Things weren't going so well and besides, I wanted to ask you something."

He led Tetsuya past several buildings, looking around carefully before nudging the other man into a dark corner.

"Renji?" Tetsuya queried curiously.

"I know this is wacky, but I've been feeling like something's wrong with Captain Kuchiki. He's been acting kind of strange. He's on edge a lot, you know, anxious. Is something going on with him? Should I be worried?"

Tetsuya considered the question silently for a moment before answering.

"I imagined you would notice," he admitted, "But while I agree, something is bothering him, I couldn't say what it is. What I do know is that it is clan related."

"Yeah," Renji agreed, "He said that when I asked him. But you mean even you don't know what's bugging him?"

"It is probably something that requires secrecy, or perhaps he worries that if we know too much, we could be pressed for that information."

"This sounds serious," Renji said worriedly, "What can I do to help him?"

Tetsuya shook his head gently.

"I don't think there is much either of us can do if he thinks it's best to conceal this. He isn't making that decision lightly. Just...keep your guard up. We can both watch out for him as we always do. That is probably our best course of action."

"I suppose so," Renji said, frowning unhappily as the two emerged and continued on their way.

They passed silently through the darkened streets, crossing over a large footbridge and turning several times before reaching the sixth division headquarters.

"You coming inside?" Renji asked.

"Yes, I want to check in with Byakuya, if he is still awake."

The two entered the darkened office and noticed at once that Byakuya's bedroom light was on and the door was standing open. They exchanged glances and moved forward cautiously, noting the lack of anything being out of place and no sign of any intrusion.

"Captain doesn't leave his door open like that," Renji breathed.

"No," Tetsuya agreed, "He leaves the garden doors open at home, but he closes his door for privacy when he is here."

They stepped into the hallway, then stiffened as they spotted Byakuya's body collapsed on the floor, just inside the bedroom.

"Captain Kuchiki!" Renji cried, flash stepping with Tetsuya to the fallen captain's side and dropping onto his knees, then turning his superior officer over.

Tetsuya examined him closely.

"There are no signs of injury, but he was recently healed."

"What the hell?" Renji mused.

"It's strange," Tetsuya went on, "I read reiatsu patterns very well, but I can't make sense of this. I can't tell who did this to him."

"What does that mean?" Renji asked, looking around him, "Who the hell knocked him out and...healed him?"

"They didn't just heal him. The areas where I sense there was damage...it suggests that they were hurting him on purpose, perhaps to force him to tell them something."

"What?" Renji exclaimed in a bewildered tone, "You mean, they were torturing him for information? That's crazy? These guys, first of all, managed to surprise him, then held him down and tortured him? Byakuya Kuchiki? A Captain? Tetsuya, who the fuck _are_ these guys?"

"I don't know," Tetsuya confessed, picking up his cousin's limp arm and examining his wrist more closely, "There is the remnant of a burn here. Something was there, perhaps a limiter. It burned away afterwards."

"A limiter that burned itself away?"

"To keep anyone from being able to trace it," Tetsuya explained, "It suggests that the ones involved in this are noble, perhaps from Central 46. There is a remote chance they could be from the royal realm."

"Damn!" Renji swore, straightening and placing his hands on the collapsed captain's back.

He sent of throb of restorative kido into the noble.

"What the fuck are Central 46 officers or king's men doing attacking a Gotei captain? This is crazy, Tetsuya!"

"I agree. But we have to be cautious. He is obviously keeping silent about this to protect all of us."

"But he obviously can't handle this alone!"

"No. We will help him, then. But we must look to him for guidance about how that is best done."

The two watched quietly as the kido took effect and Byakuya began to stir sluggishly. Renji lifted him carefully and sat him up, holding him in place as his eyelids fluttered, then opened, and his dark eyes found them.

"Are you all right, Captain?" Renji asked, fighting to keep his voice calm, "We came back from the club and found you passed out here. What happened?"

Byakuya looked around the room, feeling the slight tinges of presence, but sensing that his attackers had gone.

"I am...fine. I was just...overly weary and did not take proper care of myself."

Renji started to object, but was swiftly quelled by the look of warning Tetsuya gave him.

"We should get you into bed," Renji went on, helping him up and leading his unsteady superior officer back to the bed, "You want some tea, Captain?"

"Yes, that would be good."

Tetsuya sat down in a wooden chair at his bedside as Byakuya worked at mentally retracing his footsteps.

_I remember...falling...angry voices...pain._

_I don't think I told them anything._

_They still don't know where it is. That's good, but it doesn't solve the problem. They will be back, and they will certainly not hesitate to use more devastating methods._

_But it's safe._

_Renji still has it._

_It's safe for now._


	3. Akuma no Kokoro

**Chapter 3: Akuma no Kokoro**

**(Another wicked Aizenchapter! Happy Birthday, Sousuke!)**

Byakuya woke well before sunrise, earlier even than usual, feeling poorly rested and abnormally sore from the torment he barely remembered. His mind, too, was afflicted, filled with flutters of worry, the frustration of trying to put together puzzle pieces that just didn't fit with each other and the intense loneliness that came with having secrets that could prove deadly if he dared speak them. But even in his discomfort, he was somewhat calmed by the ever-present touch of Tetsuya's powerful and familiar reiatsu.

_He is so fond of telling me how he owes me for rescuing him. Tetsuya has no idea how he has rescued me from feeling completely alone on so many occasions. I wish I could share this burden with him. But I dare not. I will not give them a reason to hurt him. And as long as those notes remain hidden and they believe only I know where they are, we are at an impasse._

Byakuya took several soft, steadying breaths and left his bed, stepping almost silently into his dressing area, where he found a warm robe to wrap around his lighter sleeping yukata. He left his feet bare and walked out through the open garden doors onto the fine wooden walkway. He stepped down onto the cool, dewy grass, breathing more slowly yet and more deeply, letting the heavy tension drain away as he focused on the nightlit flowers and gently waving sakura trees. And although complete tranquility escaped him, at very least he calmed inside so that he could keep both the focus and resolve to manage the chaos wrought by the existence of those few, vulnerable pages that no one he knew could read anyway.

_It's so odd. I've studied the ancient languages. And while in Reiokyuu, I studied even the divine language of kings. What is written does not conform to any of them. But the pages come from just after the seating of the reigning king. And I remember now something that was hidden in my mind somehow...a meeting with Reio, where he warned me of the coming unrest. It is chilling that he could not even let me remember the conversation until the ones pursuing the notes tried to enter the archive. Only then did I remember and take action to protect them. I wonder what is written there that those men are willing to kill for...that people may die for. That Reio, himself, was worried over them suggests something staggering._

He realized suddenly that something in his atmosphere had changed while he was lost in thought. For a dread moment, he thought that his aggressors had returned, then he noted the lovely blue sphere of confining water that had wrapped around him and felt Tetsuya's presence as his cousin emerged from the liquid and took shape in front of him.

"Tetsuya?"

His cousin met him with solemn eyes and Byakuya could feel a heaviness in the reiatsu that surrounded them.

"My apologies, watashi no itoko," Tetsuya intoned softly, kneeling respectfully in front of him, "but I must speak to you with utmost privacy. I dare not speak my mind anywhere where anyone can hear, but no longer can I bear those thoughts alone. Will you come into my inner world?"

Byakuya hesitated.

_I want so much to be able to tell you everything, but to do so..._

"No one will know what passes between us, and even if they do penetrate this sphere, they will only see the two of us sparring as we do every day."

Two images rose from the water that surrounded them and took fighting stances as Byakuya's and Tetsuya's bodies lost their color and blended in with their surroundings.

"Will you come with me, then?" Tetsuya asked again.

"Very well," he said solemnly, "but be warned that I may not be able to answer you about some things."

"I understand," Tetsuya said, leading him through the calm, cool waters and into his cousin's starlit inner world.

_A place where the moon is always full and that stars shine brightly. Morning never comes, but there are only peaceful, wide open spaces...no walls, no borders and no fences to close a soul in. The water is as blue and enchanting as your eyes. Yes, I feel safe in this place as nowhere else. Thank you, Tetsuya._

They paused in a grassy meadow beside the large blue lake where his cousin's zanpakuto spirit made her home. Byakuya could sense that she was resting, but that her blue eyes watched them closely. Nearby, in the meadow, Tetsuya's tall black stallion appeared as though out of the night, itself, and began to quietly graze.

"Will you tell me why?" Tetsuya asked, looking into his dark eyes and frowning worriedly, "Why did you send me to watch them?"

"Tetsuya, I told you. Things are dangerous right now."

"You think I am not aware of that?" his cousin countered, his rising emotion making wisps of clouds form in the dark skies above them, "I _know_ something horribly dangerous is going on. I have respected that you didn't feel you could tell me. But sending me to watch them and leaving yourself unguarded? What were you thinking?"

"What was I to do?" Byakuya asked sternly, "You found me afterwards, Tetsuya. You don't even need to answer why I would send you away at a time like this."

"No!" Tetsuya snapped, sending a flash of blue light across the sky.

A rumble of thunder passed through and the wind rose warningly.

"I don't understand! Byakuya, I am not just your cousin and you know that! You walked into that awful place I was in, picked me up, carried me out, cared for me and trained me to captain level for a _reason_! It wasn't just so that you could save the son of your father's cousin and closest friend. You built me up and made me this strong so I could _protect you_! That is all that matters to me. And even knowing that, you made yourself vulnerable to them by sending me away! There was no danger at that club and you know it! The danger was to you!"

"No!" Byakuya countered, his voice rising slightly and his reiatsu thickening, "Tetsuya, you could not be more wrong. You were there. Think for a moment about what you saw. They injured me, but they did not hurt me. And you read how easily they overcame me. What do you think would have happened to you if you _had_ been watching me? I am the one who has something they want, not you. They would have slain you without thought. Me, they need alive, at very least, for now. This is not something you could have protected me from, even if you had been there. And if I wanted to keep you at my side and watching over me, the only way to protect you was to do as I did."

"But why didn't you _tell _me?" Tetsuya pleaded.

"What would you have done if you had known? Would you have been able to obey my order to go, knowing the danger I would be in?"

The younger noble swallowed hard at the question, but couldn't find an answer. He flinched as his cousin laid a hand under his arm and brought him back to his feet.

"There are coming battles where I will need your strength, watashi no itoko, and if I want you to be there with me when it really matters, when I am in harm's way and could very well perish, then I need to protect you now."

"Then, take what steps you must," Tetsuya assured him, some of the emotion draining away as soft rain that floated gently down from the calming skies, "Even though it is hard and I am afraid, I will obey whatever order you give me."

"Tetsuya..."

Tetsuya's dark sapphire eyes fastened on his, quieting his protest.

"You know I would die to protect you," Tetsuya went on, "but know this also. I have grown wise enough to protect myself so that I will survive to be there for you. I understand what you have told me. I will obey whatever order you give me, even if it is a weight on my heart. The greater weight would be knowing that my stubbornness and impatience made you lack faith in me at a time when we must stand together. You don't have to tell me anything. Just let me help you!"

Byakuya found himself suddenly lost for words. Instead, he nodded briefly, then gave everything over in a warm, firm embrace. He held Tetsuya tightly for a moment, then took a breath and released him.

"The truth is, I do not even know what exactly is going on," he confessed, "only that about a week ago, those same men who attacked me, attempted to enter our family archive."

"But only you and those you permit can enter the archive," Tetsuya objected.

"Yes, well, these people thought they could get in anyway. Luckily, the defenses held, but I then remembered a conversation that I was not even aware I had with Reio before returning form the royal realm. In that conversation, he warned me that the papers these people sought were no longer safe in the archive. I am to protect them and try to understand them. And he said that I was not the only one who would remember him speaking to them. Five others would be visited as well, and as they emerge, I must protect _all_ of them. You told me the other night that you dreamed of someone speaking to you. You could not see his face, but his voice was gentle and kind. He told you that he wanted you to remain close to me at all costs. Do you remember?"

Tetsuya's eyes widened.

"That was no dream?" he mused, "_He_ was speaking to me?"

"Yes. You told me of that dream and I knew I couldn't let anything happen to you. You are a part of this, Tetsuya, just as I am. And there are others. We only have to find them as they are revealed and protect them and the pages. I must keep the location of the pages only to myself, but you can help me locate and protect the people who we need for this."

"But I am the only one so far besides you? And won't the ones after you simply try to extract the identities of the six?"

"They don't know about that," Byakuya explained, "Their only concern right now is finding and destroying those pages. The people don't matter if what is on those pages is lost."

"I suppose I shouldn't ask you what is on them, then," Tetsuya sighed.

"I don't know what is on them," Byakuya reminded him, "But having exhausted my own ideas about where to look, I will turn to someone who seems to find answers when no one else can. We will go to Kisuke Urahara. If anyone can translate what is written there, he can."

"Very well," Tetsuya said, nodding, "then we will leave from here so that we are not seen heading for the living world. Do you have a way to transport the pages there secretly?"

"Yes. Leave that to me."

Tetsuya gave a soft whistle and the grazing stallion lifted his head, then trotted over to where the shinigamis waited. Tetsuya drew his blade and opened a pathway into the precipice world, then the two mounted the stallion.

_Arashi, we need safe passage to Kisuke Urahara's shop_, Tetsuya communicated into his equine counterpart's mind.

_I will see you there safely, Master_, Arashi's wispy voice promised.

Tetsuya paused for a moment, then conjured a copy of them and let their own bodies fade into a waterform.

"Very wise to be so cautious," Byakuya said approvingly as Arashi moved forward, "Tetsuya, if they appear, you must escape quickly."

"I will."

"If anything happens to me, you must proceed to Karakura Town. Go to Kisuke Urahara and let him protect you."

"What about the papers?"

"It will be taken care of."

A worried silence fell over the two as Arashi carried them into the dark corridor. The tapping of his hooves on the reiatsu infused stone and solemn drips of water from the ceiling and walls were all that disturbed the near silence. Byakuya breathed a sigh of relief as they proceeded and there was no sign of pursuit. They were nearly to the exit, when the reiatsu around them began to rise and the false image Tetsuya had created suddenly shattered and fell to the ground as a huge splash of water. Kido exploded, nearly at Arashi's dancing feet and Byakuya flash stepped to the ground.

"Tetsuya!" he cried, "Run! Go!"

Arashi reared and loosed a hail of ice blades as four dark forms began to appear, two ahead of them and two behind. Tetsuya's breath caught as he sensed their level of power and his mind was made up in an instant.

_We must use it, Arashi!_

_But Master..._

_There is no choice! They are too powerful. We are only going to be killed unless we do!_

He felt the stallion's regretful capitulation and drew his sword, then plunged it into Arashi's body, making him rear and scream again.

"Bankai! Koori no Bakuha, Re-kuhime!" Tetsuya commanded his zanpakuto.

Instantly, an ice shield formed around them, capturing Byakuya inside with them and giving Tetsuya only a moment to explain.

"Byakuya!" he cried desperately, "They are going to break through. When I give the next command, Arashi and I will use a stronger release to make our escape. The blast should give you cover to try to escape as well."

"Tetsuya," Byakuya mused, watching as the power swelled around his cousin, "Tetsuya, you have a..."

"Shinigami Tenba," Tetsuya intoned, his head bowing.

Fierce white reiatsu exploded around the shinigami and stallion, blinding Byakuya as the two began to transform. Arashi's body swelled in size and Tetsuya slowly disappeared. On the stallion's body, blue armor rose out of his flesh, sharp spikes emerged from his hooves and in the middle of his forehead, a wicked black horn formed.

_Shingami Tenba,_ Tetsuya's proud voice spoke into Byakuya's shocked mind, _A divine ability that sacrifices my body and joins my power completely with Arashi's. I become the armor that shields him and the horn he uses to pierce whatever is in his path. We will make our escape now. Go, Byakuya. Everything will be all right._

Arashi screamed again and shook the ground as he came down again. He charged forward, sending another shattering blast at the ones ahead of them and opening the pathway for them. Byakuya flash stepped wildly, knowing that if he did not exit the area quickly, it wasn't just their pursuers he had to worry about.

_The increased reiatsu from Tetsuya's divine attack will attract the cleaner. And anyone here will be swept away if they are engulfed._

He fled then, honing in on an exit that would bring him nearly to his destination. Tetsuya's power erupted again, somewhere behind him, exciting a sound of dismay as it swelled up brightly, then began to break apart and fade.

"Tetsuya!" he gasped, sliding to a stop and turning to look back.

The mistake proved costly as a body crashed into his and threw the two of them down through the exit.

_It will be all right_, he comforted himself as he struggled with the man holding him, _Tetsuya won't die. And neither will I..._

He fought wildly then to try to escape the viselike grip of the one who held him, firing kido and loosing his shikai without even drawing his sword. The man holding him laughed and turned him so that Byakuya could see his face. But all that registered was a pair of silver eyes that promised death.

He fell into their depths and kept on falling, until he was entrapped inside them and unable to move anymore.

XXXXXXXXXX

Renji came awake suddenly, still half dreaming and with a feeling of icy dread that seemed to strike everywhere at once. He looked around his darkened quarters, reassuring himself that he had only been dreaming and that nothing seemed amiss.

_I guess it's just what happened to Captain Kuchiki before._

He sighed heavily and climbed out of bed, then started towards the bathroom, only to stop and stare a moment later as a kido infused message appeared on his tall, full-length mirror.

_The true gift is inside._

He didn't have to wonder who had written the message and it screamed with a hidden meaning that rang in the stunned vice captain's mind as his dream returned to him in full, painful color.

_Reio sat on his throne with Renji kneeling at his feet and looking up at him._

_"Renji, remember when the time comes. Take whatever he gives you and go to Kisuke Urahara."_

"Take whatever he gives you..." Renji repeated, frowning and instantly turning his head to look at the coat Byakuya had given him.

_"Keep it with you at all times," the noble instructed him._

_Renji felt an odd twinge inside at the words. He turned his head to meet Byakuya's eyes directly._

_"Captain," he said, feeling a deeper, worried twinge, "This is going to sound weird, but...are you okay? You're acting kind of...different."_

_Byakuya let out a soft breath and shook his head briefly._

_"Things __are __different between us since what happened in the war with the quincies. But I assure you these changes are a good thing. I know now that...I can trust you completely...with anything. This gift is an acknowledgement of how far we have come and the trust that has been built between us. Take good care not to lose it, Renji."_

_For some reason Renji couldn't fathom, the words rang strangely in his ears._

_"Are you kidding," he answered, covering his concerns with a charming smile, "Thanks, Captain. I won't let this out of my sight!"_

Renji's eyes widened as he felt the sudden, heavy surge of both Byakuya's and Tetsuya's powers. The two raged wildly as the redhead leapt to his feet and dressed hastily, then grabbed the coat Byakuya had given him and flash stepped away. As he passed through the squad room door, his body crashed headlong into another, sending Renji and the other crashing to the ground together. They landed in a tangle of arms and legs and Renji caught a flash of bright ginger colored hair.

"Damn, Renji!" Ichigo laughed, looking up at where the redhead laid on top of him, "I know you wanted to help me out, but you don't have to go so overboard!"

"Shut up!" Renji snapped, "This is serious."

"I know," Ichigo whispered into his ear, "I had a dream too. I have to get you to Karakura Town. But we can't go the usual way. Kukaku's waiting for us. Get up and don't look so serious, okay?"

"But something happened to..."

"Byakuya and Tetsuya. I felt it," Ichigo informed him, "We can't go looking for them. Whatever Byakuya gave you, you have to bring it and come with me, right now."

"Okay," Renji breathed, more softly, letting Ichigo drag him to his feet, then brushing himself off and glaring at the Shiba heir, "Baka! Watch where you're going!"

"You watch where you're going!" Ichigo snapped belligerently, "You're the one who came bursting out the door without looking."

"Well, what are you doing, showing up here like that?" Renji demanded.

"I'm supposed to meet Byakuya for breakfast and sparring this morning," Ichigo explained.

Renji frowned.

"It's not written onto his agenda."

"Yeah, he sent me a hell butterfly."

"Sorry, Captain Kuchiki isn't here. He went home last night. You'll have to check at Kuchiki Manor. I was going there myself to deliver some reports for him to sign. I'll go with you."

The two flash stepped away, heading in the direction of the manor, but turning off into an alley, where Ganju and Kukaku awaited them.

"You two took long enough," Kukaku complained, scowling at the two disheveled shinigamis, "You run into trouble or something?"

"We kinda ran into each other," Ichigo said sheepishly, reaching up to rub the bump on his head.

"Idiots..." the one-armed Shiba mused, rolling her eyes, "Come here and brace yourselves. This is going to be a very bumpy ride."

"Whoa!" Renji objected, "I don't know if I want to do this. Can't we find some other way to...?"

"Sorry, gotta move!" Kukkaku yelled, "Okay, brother!"

Ichigo and Renji exchanged wide-eyed glances as everything seemed to go hazy around them and their bodies were launched violently into motion.

"Yeaiiiiiiiiiiii!" they howled together, grabbing onto each other and holding on tightly as they spun into a tight circle, then were suddenly engulfed in darkness.

XXXXXXXXXX

A dark, cloaked and hooded form moved restlessly in an alcove in the Dangai precipice, noting that the heavy flares of reiatsu ahead of him had faded and the sound of the cleaner was rising up in the distance. The one within the hood moved quickly as the sound grew louder, honing in on Tetsuya's rapidly declining reiatsu and remembering.

_"Your greatest need is balance," a soft, male voice spoke into his mind, "When the time comes, seek it in the Seireitei. The person you need to find is a blue-eyed member of the Kuchiki family. You will feel a resonance when his reiatsu touches you."_

_"You wanna tell me where to look in the Seireitei?" he asked irascibly, "It's kind of a big place."_

_"You will find each other," the disembodied voice assured him, "and when you do, you must keep each other alive. Take this."_

_He felt something cool and hard pressed into his hand._

_"Use it to wake him, then take him to Kisuke Urahara. You will find your answers there."_

_Whatever, he thought, sitting up in his bed and shaking his head sleepily._

_"Weird," he whispered, still feeling the reach of that voice, even as he laid back down to sleep._

He crept forward, looking around carefully until he saw a huddled form lying on the ground a short distance ahead of him. Abandoning stealth as the cleaner closed in, he scooped up the young man and dashed away, taking the nearest exit and touching down in a park a short distance away from the shopkeeper's home.

"I fucking hate that guy," he sighed, laying Tetsuya on the ground and frowning as he contemplated the situation, "Where's that...?"

He sucked in a surprised breath as a small vial formed in his hand. But he acted instantly, lifting the unconscious noble's head slightly and pouring the liquid into his mouth. Tetsuya swallowed reflexively as the liquid made contact with his mouth, then he shifted in his rescuer's grasp, his eyelids fluttering and his sapphire eyes meeting a familiar pair of icy blue ones.

"G-grimmjow?" Tetsuya said dazedly.

"You should've danced with me, stupid," the Espada chided him, "I could've been closer when the shit hit the fan."

"When the...?" Tetsuya began, his eyes blinking in confusion.

"Don't worry about it. Come on."

"But...I shouldn't even be awake!" Tetsuya objected, "I..."

"None of that matters," Grimmjow said shortly, "Move your ass, Kuchiki, or we're going to end up dead. And whoever warned me that you were going to need my help will be pretty upset about that."

"Whoever warned you?" Tetsuya mused as Grimmjow dragged him into a staggering run, "Then, you dreamed of Reio too?"

Grimmjow shrugged.

"_Someone _was talking, but I couldn't see his face. He said some strange things and I just thought it was a dream. But I got curious and went to the Seireitei to see if there was anything to it. I was sure it was bullshit, but then that guy tried to grab you and your reiatsu touched me."

"This all sounds so strange," Tetsuya sighed wearily, "but the things I was warned about have come to be as well. But Byakuya...!"

The ones who attacked you took him," Grimmjow said unhappily, "But I wasn't allowed to interfere with that, you understand. There was nothing I could do. You were the one I was told to save, Tetsuya. And now, we have to keep each other alive."

"But Byakuya has the knowledge they want. Why would they come after me?" Tetsuya objected.

"I don't know," Grimmjow admitted as they reached the shop and ran up the front steps, "But I have a feeling that it's more complicated than that. Anyway, since what I was told has been true up to now and you said what you've been told is true too, we don't have much choice but to run with it."

"I suppose we don't," Tetsuya agreed, "Thank you, Grimmjow. The cleaner would have devoured me if you hadn't found me."

"That's okay," Grimmjow chuckled, smirking, "I like that cleaner's thinking."

XXXXXXXXXX

_"Are you sure this is wise?" Aizen asked, smirking at the soul king, "Meeting me here without your bodyguards, your majesty?"_

_"The greatest danger to me does not come from you," Reio informed him calmly, "but from within the noble families. You witnessed a small piece of the truth before, and that is why you created the hogyoku. That is why you opposed me. I resisted you before, but you are now going to serve the three worlds in a greater way."_

_"What greater way can I serve them than killing you and standing in your place?" Aizen asked, narrowing his eyes, "You know I only protected you because Ywach was the greater threat. Now that he is gone... But the hogyoku is gone. This must have given you some confidence that you are safe from me, but I will be happy to shatter your hopes."_

_"You cannot reach me from where you are now. Listen instead, and when the time is right, remember. When Byakuya reaches you, your powers will return and you must escape to..."_

_The word sounded garbled and by the time he woke, he no longer remembered them._

Sousuke Aizen's brown eyes opened, long before they should have, and he felt a strange burning in his midsection.

_Those people sealed my spirit centers, _he remembered,_ How then will I use my powers, even if I see..._

His mind went blank as he registered the face of the man that his captors were leaning over, a short distance away.

"What do we do now?" the woman lamented, "Those fools nearly killed him and they didn't find anything!"

"Don't worry about it," her male companion said off-handedly, "Now that he is here, I am sure the boss can make him talk to us. Wherever he hid it, we're going to find it. They're not going to succeed. They're crazy if they think that old myth is going to save us all. The only reason we survived the first quincy invasion was because we put Reio on the throne. He's the only thing holding our worlds together. We have to stop this before it goes out of control!"

Their words grew softer, and finally disappeared as they left him alone with the unconscious body of the only person he really remembered.

_I don't even remember being the person the king talked to. My own name sounds unfamiliar to me. Things are coming back slowly, but...I have to get out of here._

He thought back to the king's words and frowned.

_He said that my powers would return._

He focused on each of his sealed spirit centers, one by one, then on the core spirit center that still worked sluggishly to sustain him. Closing his eyes and sinking down deeply, he concentrated on the king's promise and called upon his powers.

At first, nothing happened at all, nor the second time, nor the third. But on the fourth try, a flicker of reiatsu rose up and he directed into his bonds, slipping between them and the body they held and applying pressure. He slipped his hands free, then worked at the rest with trembling fingers before tearing the last away and staggering onto his feet. His heart in his throat, he limped towards Byakuya, reaching him a moment later and realizing that the noble's wide, dark eyes were open and looking at him.

"You are...Byakuya?" he queried softly.

"It hasn't been so long. You cannot have forgotten me, Sousuke Aizen," Byakuya said skeptically, "What are you doing here? Why were you tied down there? How long have you been...?"

"It doesn't matter," Aizen said shortly, "All that matters is that we escape now."

Byakuya sucked in a sharp breath and stared at him.

"You are...?"

"I dreamed of knowing myself again and being in the presence of the soul king," Aizen informed him.

"But you...you want to _kill_ the king!" Byakuya objected, "Why would Reio put his faith in you, of all people?"

"I don't know and it doesn't matter. Get up and don't get caught again."

"We must get to Kisuke Urahara," Byakuya insisted.

"No," Aizen corrected him, "The place we must reach is _Akuma no Kokoro_!"

Byakuya's eyes rounded.

"No! We can't possibly. No one even knows where it is! And why? This is a trick of yours, Sousuke. I don't believe you! If you want to go there, it is only to try again to kill the king."

"And what do you think will happen when they see you've escaped?" Aizen asked angrily, "They will look where they expect you to seek help. We have no choice but to..."

He broke off as footsteps sounded in the corridor outside the room where they were imprisoned.

"My powers are sealed!" Byakuya hissed softly, "and from what I can tell, so are yours! What do you expect we should do?"

The noble gasped as the door was thrown open and the man and woman who had been working on them ran into the room.

"Stop!" the man ordered them, extending a hand and firing a binding kido spell, "Kura! Go and bring Touketsume!"

He turned his attention back to the escaping captives, just in time to feel an explosion of power and to see a long, slim, green handled sword forming in Aizen's hand. He held it up high, barely cognizant as the words escaped him, but smiling as he saw the effect.

"Shatter, Kyoka Suigetsu!"

"You were lying!" Byakuya said, backing away from him as Aizen approached their aggressors and cut them down as they looked around, wondering what had happened, "You bastard!"

Aizen turned and shoved the stunned noble up against the wall, then touched the tip of his blade to Byakuya's exposed throat.

"It doesn't matter anymore if you believe me or not, Byakuya. You are coming with me now."

Byakuya started to reply, but went still as Aizen's power wrapped around him and made him go suddenly calm and silent.

Aizen smiled.

"That is better," he said warmly, "I wasn't lying to you before. Those people sealed my spirit centers and wiped my mind clean, but as was promised, everything has been returned to me. I will let you regain your senses later and we can talk, but what we need to do now...is to run!"

He took the hypnotized noble's hand and swiftly opened a garganta. Glancing back at the two dead bodies he left behind, Aizen smirked and took Byakuya's hand, leading him out of the too bright room and into the blackness.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Are you all right, my lord?" Reio's attendant asked worriedly, looking down at where the monarch knelt, dressed in white and looking into the healing pool.

"I am fine," he assured the old woman, "But will you bring tea?"

"Of course, sire."

He watched as she left, then withdrew a large, beautifully faceted crystal prism from within his robes. He looked into the facets, breathing slowly.

_The pieces are moving now._

_Fate's hand is taking shape._

_Remember, you who struggle, justice is not black and white, but a balance. That balance must be restored..._

_...whatever the cost._


End file.
